Volleyball left for Jackets, Panthers

10/29/2003

The volleyball seasons for Perrysburg and Maumee continue. The two Northern Lakes League teams are in regional semifinal matches this week and not ready to call it quits.

The Yellow Jackets (17-8) eagerly await playing the Arrows (24-1) and All-Ohioan Sarah Florian. The two teams met a year ago in a match that went three games before St. Ursula came out on top.

“It's going to take a full team effort, offensively and defensively,” Perrysburg coach Carrie Rathsack said. “We've been improving as the season has progressed.”

Rathsack guided Perrysburg to a tie with Maumee for the league's top honors with 9-5 records. Furthermore, the Yellow Jackets had not advanced this far into the playoffs during Rathsack's four seasons. The past two came to an end with NLL rival Anthony Wayne taking care of them in sectional competition.

Rathsack believes the competition in the NLL has factored into the Jackets' preparation for this playoff run.

“Obviously we've got a very tough league that we play in and we had nights where we didn't play as well as well as I thought we should have,” she said. “But I like the way it all has ended. I like that we're still playing and in the playoffs.”

Kate Fissel, Sara Hughes and Laura Markwood lead the Yellow Jackets. Fissel, a junior, has produced more than 200 kills. Hughes has accounted for more than 400 assists while Markwood has recorded more than 80 blocks.

Meanwhile, Maumee coach Gretchen Klotz-Brown is pleased about the Panthers (20-6) reaching the Division II regional semifinals for the second time in three years.

Klotz-Brown believes tomorrow's match against Big Walnut (20-5) is a golden opportunity for the Panthers.

“I expected for us to do well in the postseason, but I think they can still raise their level of play,” said Klotz-Brown. “I think that their level of play can go up another notch.”

Sophomore server Kim Zimmerman sparkled in the district final win over Ottawa-Glandorf with six “significant” serving aces during the match, according to Klotz-Brown.

Laurie Schade, a senior, and Mikki Sutherland, a junior, have accounted for more than 240 kills apiece while junior Joanie Burkhardt has registered more than 150. Lisa Galvin, a junior, has more than 1,000 assists.

- DONALD EMMONS